Friday, May 04, 2007

State Racing Commissioners Urged to Ban Toe Grabs


Bill Casner, owner of WinStar Farms in Kentucky and head of the committee on shoeing and hoof care that was formed out of the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit in January, addressed the Association of Racing Commissioners International last week in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

His message? Toe grabs should be outlawed from US Thorougbred racetracks. California was the first state to officially ban shoes with grabs higher than 4 millimeters.

I'm still wondering who's going to pick up the feet of horses in the paddock to check...You can see turndowns and bends. A farrier can see a bar shoe. But unless the horse is standing on a firm, flat surface, will the horseshoe inspector really be able to tell how high or low the grab is?

Read the complete article on the Thoroughbred Times web site.

Mr. Casner subscribes to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Do you?

Photo of Steve Norman's hands and flat hind shoe at Churchill Downs by Dan Burke.

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